As wildfire and poor management devastates more and more public lands across the nation, there is a dire need for active forest management. The newly proposed High and Dry Forest Health Treatment project proposed by the BLM is a turn for the better; the project proposes to implement active and responsible fire management practices and policies.
The project proposes to use pre-commercial thinning, commercial harvest, timber sales, prescribed burns, and road maintenance to reduce hazardous fuels. These active management practices are great for the forest and great for multiple-use groups. The project as a whole is beneficial for the public and for the public’s lands. The only objection we sustain within this project is the decommissioning of 2.5 miles of road. While we support the proposed actions of the BLM to sustain the forest, decrease the risk of fire, and maintain our public roads, we do not believe that any existing roads should be decommissioned, no matter how small the decommissioning area.
While active government policies designed to keep multiple-use and motorized-use groups out of our public lands tend to be our primary concern, the devastation caused by poor fire management may do even more to prevent public access to important public lands and public lands resources. Wherever the BLM and other public lands management agencies demonstrate positive, active fire management policies that encourage and assist public use, it is important to add our voice of support.
Please consider submitting a comment using our action alert tool. Include your own words and experiences. Comments are due April 8, 2022. You can read more about the project through the BLM website here.
